Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

The dyesmith shop was a snug, dimly lit sanctuary tucked away in a quiet alley off main street. The air hung thick with the distinct aroma of fresh paint—earthy, rich, and a little sharp, mingling with the faint mustiness of aging wood. Jars of vibrant pigments lined the shelves, their colors ranging from deep blues to fiery crimsons, casting a spectrum of hues across the dimly lit room.

“You’re a fresh face around here,” the shopkeeper greeted without looking up, her sharp gaze focused intently on the elegant breastplate she was refining.

“Yeah, I’ve been getting that a lot lately,” Daisuke muttered, his gaze sweeping over the organized chaos of fabrics, leather, and half-finished armor pieces strewn across the workbenches. Each station seemed to hold a project in some stage of transformation.

“Where do you hail from?” she asked inquisitively, the fluid, rhythmic sound of her practiced brushstrokes filling the room.

Daisuke, however, didn’t let the soothing sounds lower his guard. “I’m from a small village out past the town limits,” he replied cautiously.

The woman smiled, clearly familiar with her fair share of secretive customers. “Ah, a mysterious one, are we? No matter—I’m sure you have your reasons. Now then, what would you like me to work on for you?”

Daisuke laid out several leather armor pieces, along with a cloak, on an empty table. “I’d like these dyed black and silver. Do you think you can manage it?”

The woman glanced down at the equipment, taking in its vibrant blend of blue, gray, and white. “Such a shame,” she murmured, almost wistfully, as if lamenting the lost potential. “It’s already got such a beautiful mix of colors. But I suppose, as a rogue or assassin, you’d stick out like a sore thumb, even in the dark.”

“Impressive insight,” Daisuke said, offering a faint smile. “But honestly, I just have a strong aversion to bright colors.”

“I understand you have your reasons,” the woman said with a thoughtful nod. “I’ve got a bit of a backlog, but I can have these ready for you by tomorrow morning, if that works for you.”

“That works perfectly,” Daisuke replied.

“Great, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Daisuke gave a casual wave as he turned to leave. “Thanks again.”

***

Thalia raised a copy of the Monster Guide Handbook in front of her face with a panicked yelp, clutching it like a shield as though the thick pages might somehow fend off the sinister forces closing in on her.

“Thalia, my love,” crooned a handsome adventurer from across the counter, his dazzling presence blinding the onlookers. “Our love was ordained by the gods themselves! Resisting the red string of fate that binds us—it’s utterly pointless.” With a flourish, he tossed his luscious hair and blew a dramatic kiss in the clerk’s direction. “Mwah!”

“Kyaa~!” Thalia cried out once more as the heart, summoned by the man’s fiery love, drifted toward her like a glowing ember.

The instant it collided with the thick cover of the handbook, missing its chance to nestle against her cheeks—or, even better, her soft, plum lips—it grew visibly enraged.

Suddenly, the heart took on a fierce expression, sprouting the muscular arms and chiseled abs of a bodybuilder. With a battle cry, it launched a flurry of punches against the book, each strike fueled by the fierce desire to break through and reach its “delicious objective.”

All of a sudden, Thalia stopped screaming; her feminine intuition didn’t miss the moment that Daisuke stepped into the guild lobby. Her face lit up as soon as she spotted him. With a casual flick of her wrist, she backhanded the love-struck suitor like he was no more than an annoying fly, extinguishing his radiant aura as though someone had blown out a candle.

While he spun helplessly before collapsing to the floor, Thalia waved enthusiastically at her favorite adventurer, her eyes sparkling. “Haxks! You’re back!” she called, beckoning him over with a bright smile.

Ignoring the death-stares from the male population, Daisuke nonchalantly made his way up to the counter. He spared a brief, indifferent glance at the would-be suitor now sprawled on the floor, looking more like a squashed insect than the elegant figure he’d once been—several teeth notably absent from his once-pristine smile.

“I see there’s still never a dull moment around here,” Daisuke murmured coolly by means of greeting, hands tucked inside his pockets.

“Story of my life,” Thalia smiled sheepishly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “More importantly, I’m just glad to see you back in one piece.”

“Thanks. I didn’t expect to be gone for this long.”

At his words, Thalia absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her gaze dropping shyly. “Then…” she whispered, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes, “does that mean… you remember your promise?”

Daisuke nodded, and the clerk’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I can get off work in about an hour,” she said, her voice soft yet eager. “Would that work for you?”

“Sounds good,” Daisuke replied with a faint smile. “In the meantime, I’ll swing by Cleave’s shop.”

***

Time seemed to stretch as Cleave frolicked toward Daisuke, every step exaggerated like a soap opera scene or a moment straight out of a Disney movie. His cheeks were flushed bright with excitement, his eyes sparkling like gems. Daisuke, his most prized client, never failed to bring him rare and exhilarating finds—monsters that stirred and ignited both the inner child and the seasoned connoisseur within him.

At the very last second, Daisuke sidestepped, watching as the ogre sailed past him like a misfired cannonball, crashing face-first into the stone floor. When his body finally came to a stop, he lifted his head, a deep frown creasing his now-reddened face from the impact. “You really aren’t any fun, are you?” He muttered, his tone a mix of reproach and disappointment.

Daisuke’s expression settled into a poker face. “I don’t see how getting tackled at a hundred miles an hour is supposed to be fun for me.”

“Don’t overthink it,” Cleave replied with a mischievous grin, even as he peeled himself off the floor. “Sometimes, you’ve just gotta embrace the chaos, let go, and move with the current. Think with her heart and soul, not your head. I call it ‘the twilight of man.’”

“Right…,” Daisuke drawled, raising an eyebrow. “Pretty sure if I’d thought with anything other than my head just now, I’d never be able to think again—ever.” Guess that’s one of the reasons why the mortality rate for men is higher than for women. Jeez.

“So?” Cleave continued, dusting off his bloodstained apron and slipping on a fresh pair of gloves. “What’s on the table for me today?”

Daisuke’s deadpan expression quickly shifted into a sly grin. Tilting his head, he peeked out from one eye, sizing up Cleave’s reaction as he rested his hands on his hips. “I’ve got quite the treat for you today.”

Cleave planted his gorilla-like hands on his hips, tilting his head back as a deep, hearty laugh rumbled from his chest. “Don’t tell me… did you actually manage to snag yourself some more Venomscale monstron? And here I thought the twilight had gone dark in your soul!”

“I’ve got something even better,” Daisuke promised as he opened his inventory window.

“Something better than Venomscale monstron, Etherberry wine, and a trip to the brothel with the boys? That’s a tough act to follow, but my soul’s on fire! Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Suddenly, the faint echo of a heavenly hymn and the gentle tolling of bells filled the air—a sound so divine it overwhelmed Cleave, bringing him to his knees in awe. With tears in his eyes, he gazed up at a magnificent mountain of monsters materializing before him.

It was a sight to behold: five towering Field Bosses, two high-level giant-classes, and an assortment of other formidable species, each more terrifying than the last. Snot drooped from his nose as he fumbled for the names of the Field Bosses, his voice trembling with a mix of excitement and disbelief.

“I’ve been such a fool,” Cleave cried, clasping his hands in prayer as a holy light seemingly shone down on the lofty mountain before him. “I’ve been blind to your noble sacrifice all this time, Haxks! You’ve forsaken the sweet and glorious warmth of a woman’s thighs to offer us these treasures. Truly, you are a man unlike any other!”

Daisuke’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Wait, what? You know on second thought, never mind. Forget I even asked. I don’t want to know.” He shook his head, already stepping back. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“…Fossorial Ekimmu,” Cleave lamented, his eyes practically glowing with reverence. “The aphrodisiac in its monstron is so potent, the boys and I might have to book out the whole brothel just to keep up. Truly, a treasure among treasures.”